Trip planning

National Mall walking map: the route, the distances and how long it takes

The National Mall runs 1.9 miles from the Capitol steps to the Lincoln Memorial. Walking past the big memorials, from the Capitol to the Jefferson Memorial, is about 4.2 miles: an hour and 40 minutes on foot at an easy pace. Every memorial is free and open 24 hours a day; only the Washington Monument's elevator needs a ticket. Here's the map, how far each monument is from the next, and where to start and park.

The map: 8 stops from the Capitol to the Jefferson Memorial

The green line is our walk's route, on OpenStreetMap; the numbers are its stops in order. Open the map to zoom into the streets.

How far apart the monuments are, stop by stop

Leg	On foot	Walking time
1. U.S. Capitol, West Front, to 2. the Smithsonian Castle	1.2 miles	29 minutes
2. Smithsonian Castle to 3. the Washington Monument	0.5 miles	13 minutes
3. Washington Monument to 4. the World War II Memorial	0.4 miles	9 minutes
4. World War II Memorial to 5. the Vietnam Veterans Memorial	0.5 miles	13 minutes
5. Vietnam Veterans Memorial to 6. the Lincoln Memorial	0.2 miles	5 minutes
6. Lincoln Memorial to 7. the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial	0.5 miles	11 minutes
7. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to 8. the Jefferson Memorial	0.8 miles	20 minutes
The whole walk, Capitol to Jefferson Memorial	4.2 miles	1 hour 40 minutes

The legs of our walk, numbered as on the map: walking routes from OpenStreetMap, timed at an easy 2.5 mph (4 km/h) without stopping. With a story at each stop, the walk takes about 2 hours.

The distances people ask about

Between	On foot	Walking time
The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial	0.9 miles	About 20 minutes
The Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial	0.8 miles	About 20 minutes
The Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial	1.3 miles	About 30 minutes
The U.S. Capitol and the Washington Monument	1.7 miles	About 40 minutes
The U.S. Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial	2.5 miles	About an hour

On the paths, from the Capitol's West Front, at the same easy pace. The Mall itself spans 1.9 miles from the Capitol steps to the Lincoln Memorial and 1.2 miles to the Washington Monument; the paths wind around the Capitol grounds and the pools, so walking it is longer.

Where to start, and which way to walk

Start at the Capitol, finish at the Tidal Basin
Walk west from the Capitol's West Front, down the hill, with the Washington Monument ahead of you. Capitol South station is about 10 minutes away on foot (0.4 miles). You finish at the Jefferson Memorial, about 20 minutes (0.9 miles) from Smithsonian station's Independence Avenue entrance.
Or start in the middle
Smithsonian station, on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, has an entrance on the Mall itself, near Jefferson Drive SW. The Washington Monument is about 0.5 miles west of it (11 minutes); the Capitol is behind you to the east. The Blue Line also runs on to King St-Old Town, for Alexandria's apothecary museum and the old town around it.
Day or night
The memorials are open 24 hours a day, and rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Park Service calls early morning and early evening the beautiful, quiet times to go.
Wheelchairs and strollers
All of the major monuments and memorials are wheelchair accessible; the Park Service doesn't lend wheelchairs, so bring or rent one. Strollers aren't allowed inside the Washington Monument.
Leave the scooter
E-scooters aren't allowed on the Mall's sidewalks and paths, except for riders with disabilities, and the Mall is outside the rental companies' service areas: some charge you for ending a ride there. This one is a walk.

Stop 2, the Smithsonian Castle, closed in February 2023 for a five-year renovation, reopened in May 2026 for the country's 250th, and closed again for the work in September. Its story plays outside, by the red sandstone walls.

Going up the Washington Monument

Tickets
Everyone 2 and older needs a timed ticket. Free same-day tickets come from the Washington Monument Lodge, on 15th Street between Madison and Jefferson drives: the window opens at 8:45 a.m., a line forms long before, and they usually run out. Or book at recreation.gov up to 30 days ahead (released at 10 a.m. each day), for a $1 fee per ticket.
Hours
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except July 4, December 25 and one maintenance day a month; the Park Service's hours page lists the dates. High winds and thunderstorms close it too.
Inside
The elevator rises 500 feet in about 70 seconds, to windows on all four sides. Plan on 45 minutes to an hour. There are no restrooms or drinking fountains inside: the nearest restrooms are at the Lodge.

Driving and parking

Take the Metro if you can
The Park Service suggests Metro: parking near the Mall is limited and fills quickly, above all in spring and summer.
The meters
More than 1,400 metered spaces, $2.30 an hour from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day but December 25, for 3 hours at most (6 hours in Lots A and D and on Ohio Drive SW). Pay by card or with the ParkMobile app; the meters take no cash.
Free parking
Hains Point, in East Potomac Park, has about 520 free spaces. Lots B and C on Ohio Drive SW are closed for construction until 2030.
After midnight
Parking across DC is generally restricted from midnight to 6 a.m. for cleaning and maintenance: read the signs before you leave the car.

The walk on this map, with a story at each stop

Our National Mall walk is the route on the map: 8 stops over 4.2 miles, about 2 hours with the stories. It starts on the Capitol's West Front with why Congress wanted a hill of its own, looks for the line on the Washington Monument where the money ran out, and ends at the Jefferson Memorial and the cherry trees.

Stop 1 is free, no sign-up. The whole walk is $4.99 for your group, on up to 4 phones.

Walk

Washington, District of Columbia

National Mall Walking Tour

Eight stops from the Capitol to the Jefferson Memorial, past the Washington Monument, where building stopped in 1854 and sat for 23 years.

2 h 4 min · 8 stops · 4.2 mi · $4.99

National Mall walking map: questions people ask

How long is the National Mall?

It spans 1.9 miles from the Capitol steps to the Lincoln Memorial, and 1.2 miles from the steps to the Washington Monument. On foot, by the paths from the Capitol's West Front to the Lincoln Memorial, it's about 2.5 miles: an hour at an easy pace.

How far apart are the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial?

About 0.9 miles on foot, roughly 20 minutes at an easy pace. The Reflecting Pool, 2,028 feet long, lies between them.

How long does it take to walk the National Mall?

The Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is about an hour without stopping. Taking in the big memorials, from the Capitol to the Jefferson Memorial, is 4.2 miles and about 1 hour 40 minutes of walking; our walk, with a story at each of its 8 stops, takes about 2 hours. Add 45 minutes to an hour to go up the Washington Monument.

Are the National Mall monuments free?

Yes. The Park Service charges nothing for any of its sites on the Mall. The Washington Monument needs a timed ticket: free on the day at the Lodge on 15th Street, or $1 a ticket to book ahead at recreation.gov.

Can you visit the monuments at night?

Yes. The memorials are open 24 hours a day, and rangers are on duty from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Washington Monument itself closes at 5 p.m.

Which Metro stop is closest to the National Mall?

Smithsonian, on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, with an entrance on the Mall near Jefferson Drive SW. Federal Triangle and L'Enfant Plaza are close too, and Capitol South is about 10 minutes on foot from the Capitol's West Front.

Where can I park near the National Mall?

At the meters, $2.30 an hour from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 3 hours at most in most places, or free at Hains Point in East Potomac Park, which has about 520 spaces. Parking fills quickly, so the Park Service suggests the Metro.

Where these facts come from

Checked November 2026. Fares, schedules and seasons change: check the official sites before you go.